Owning
a four-wheeler has become a necessity in Chandigarh, thanks to the
working culture and general way of life of people here. Now, saying
this in no way means that we like to put up a show and make a style
statement just for the heck of it. But living in the region does
require one to have one's own conveyance. It is an established fact
that every household in Punjab and Chandigarh owns a two-wheeler
vehicle. Life without a two-wheeler here cannot exist, and it is just
a way of life. Likewise, a majority of families do own a car of their
choice and this is not a luxury but a necessity of sorts. Recently we
decided to sell off our old car and purchase a new set of wheels as
the car had been our loyal companion for more than a decade and it
was time for an upgrade. This time around my father opined that I
choose the car as now I would be using it more than him, as he is a
retired man and in the last couple of years I have been the using the
car to drive my way to work. Now that I had the liberty to pick the
car of my choice, and could also afford to buy one, thanks to my
savings, I wanted to go for the one that I had been eyeing for a
while – the Ford EcoSport. Let's just say we Punjabis have a thing
for SUVs. Plus, this car has been drawing all the attention since its
launch. Going for a Ford drive was never a question as there is a
sense of reliability that the brand has built in us over the years.
What I appreciate about the car manufacturer is the fact that the
brand always stays ahead of the game by ensuring that the latest
technological innovations are incorporated in their latest models.
This shows how driven the brand is to continuously impress its
customers and win them all over again. This, along with factors like
the performance of the engine, the design, and salient features of
every model. Considering I had pretty much made my mind about the
model, my parents insisted that we visit one of the many Ford cardealers in Chandigarh to test drive the car before jumping the
gun.
At
around the same time, my father's experience came into play when he
enlightened me that though the SUV is a great purchase for sure, I
did need to factor in a few aspects. Just like most other regions in
the country, Chandigarh too faces the problem of ever increasing
traffic. And the rate at which there are traffic jams in the recent
years has been crazy. Parking issues are inevitably related which
means that finding a parking spot every time I am out and about will
be a task for sure. Now that my father made me realize this, I did
have second thoughts about my purchase as I would be using the car
primarily to travel to office on a daily basis. In such conditions, a
hatchback seemed like a more viable option. We did visit a couple of
Ford dealership outlets to have a look at our options and have
finalized the following two hatchbacks from the brand for specific
reasons listed below:
Ford
Figo S: This sports edition of the dependable and popular Figo is the
perfect example of practicality meets performance. The sporty look of
the car adds a zing to the high-performance Figo range. The visual
uplift that the Figo S has is one of the major factors that has
piqued my interest in the car and made its way to my shortlisted
cars. The diesel engine promises to be tractable in the region and
deliver high-performance when on the highway. The impressive engine
clubbed with its lightweight construction are features worth noting,
ones that make a huge difference and impact.
Ford
Freestyle: Now this one is what they call to be the cross-hatch
version of the Figo. This one comes with an all-new five-speed manual
gearbox which makes quite an impact. The raised height of this
crossover is one of the features that had me sold. It makes it look
so strikingly different from the regular Ford Figo model, and I am
totally in for such a look. The enhanced look is so well justified by
the powerpact performance that the engine delivers. Add to it the
splendid chocolate and black colour theme of the cabin and you have a
stellar car! Honestly, I am more than impressed!
Both
the cars do complete justice in terms of the performance and are
competitively priced as well. After taking both these for test-drives
at Ford car dealers Chandigarh has, my father and I were
definitely pleased. The concerns of parking and easy manoeuvring
through the traffic that my father had are both well taken care of by
both these models. Though both of these justify my needs and are
stunners in their own right, I do feel a little more drawn towards
the Ford Freestyle, more so because of its exterior and design. I
think I do have my new car all figured out and I cannot wait to steer
my way on the streets.
